Deputies were in right place at right time

St Johns County Sheriff’s deputies happened to be nearby last night when the Kangaroo convenience store, located at Wildwood Drive and US-1 South, became the victim of an armed robbery, according to Historic City News sources.

Three men were involved in the robbery and all are in custody following a high-speed car chase and trips to two area hospitals.

The report came in to dispatchers at 8:30 p.m. Sunday night that two men entered the store and took an undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes. One of the men was carrying a handgun.

The robbers fled the store but were spotted leaving a nearby mobile home park; located behind the shopping center on Wildwood Drive. The first deputy to arrive made an unsuccessful attempt at a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop and sped away, according to sheriff’s spokesman, Kevin Kelshaw.

A pursuit followed along Wildwood Drive in the direction of SR-207. Deputies deployed stop sticks on the road in the area of Cheyenne Drive, but the three men in the vehicle continued to flee. One deputy struck the rear of the getaway car, executing a pit maneuver, which successfully ran the vehicle off the road and down a driveway south of Treaty Park.

The three men bailed from the car and fled on foot into a heavily wooded area; however, two were captured right away. The third man, identified as Marcus Trumbly was captured shortly after 1:00 a.m. Monday in the 1900 block of Wildwood Drive.

St Johns County Fire Rescue attended to the captured men; one of whom, 28-year-old Tyrus Kornegy, had sustained a gunshot wound to the back. It is believed that, during the pursuit, the handgun accidently discharged, causing the injury. Kornegy was treated at the scene for the non-life threatening injury, and then stabilized for transportation, by air ambulance, to UF Health Jacksonville.

The second man, identified as 23-year-old Deshawn Perkins, who resides at 2166 Century Boulevard, Apartment “A” in St Augustine, complained of chest pains and was transported to Flagler Hospital where he was treated and released.

All three men are facing multiple charges as the investigation continues.